In this research, the investigators want to see if early detection of HIV infection can be improved by testing young adults who seek urgent health care from pharmacies and healthcare facilities with symptoms similar to those people get with recent HIV infection.

Specific objectives:

What proportion of people presenting with these symptoms are HIV positive at the point of seeking urgent health care?

What proportion of those who test negative or where the result is unclear (one rapid test positive and one negative) at first rapid HIV testing, will test positive two weeks later?

What is the best way (SMS, phone call or home visit) to remind people to come for the second test after two weeks?

Will young adults who seek urgent health care for fever, body pains, diarrhoea or an STD from pharmacies or health facilities find it acceptable to be invited for an HIV-1 test at the time of health care seeking?

Hypotheses

Targeted screening for AHI among patients seeking health care for symptoms compatible with AHI or sexually transmitted disease (STD) will identify AHI cases in more than 1% of those screened.

Intense follow-up of patients evaluated for AHI will improve rates of repeat HIV-1 testing 2-4 weeks after initial health-care seeking, relative to standard practice (i.e., recommendation to return for testing on a given date).

2-week follow up appointment with addition of a reminder mobile phone call or short text message (SMS) if possible, plus a home visit by a community counselor if the participant fails to present on the appointed date.

resident in Mtwapa or Shanzu or planning to stay in Mtwapa for approximately 4 weeks duration

willing to give locator information (including mobile phone number)

negative or unknown HIV status

Exclusion Criteria:

patients not meeting inclusion criteria

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01876199